Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know
Susan E. Lowey, SUNY, Brockport
Copyright Year:
ISBN 13: 9781942341192
Publisher: Open SUNY
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Reviews
Nursing Care at the End of LIfe is easy to understand and offers a very organized flow of content. read more
Nursing Care at the End of LIfe is easy to understand and offers a very organized flow of content.
Content is accurate and does a great job providing a discussion on the stages of grief.
The book's content remains relevant, as the stages of grief continue to the same. However, there are sources used that are great than 5 years, which can be an issue. We ask our students to use relevant and current sources of <5 years. Also current trends provides a list of leading causes of death based on the CDC 2011 stats, which would not be the most current. There is a lag time, but not 13 years. This would need to be addressed.
Terms are clear, lucid, and written in concise language, I found it not to wordy and actually an interesting read.
There is a decent amount of consistency in the terminology used.
The organization and flow of content is easy to follow and can be divided into assigned readings, offering a less intimidating reading assignment.
The topics are presented in an organized and logical flow, building upon eachother.
No image distortions observed that would confused readers.
Found no grammatical errors.
Great discussion on the importance of cultural competence, suggesting nurses must make an effort to understand the culture of their patients.
This book is particularly valuable for nurses, but it is also relevant for other healthcare providers involved in end-of-life care. Its clear, compassionate, and comprehensive approach makes it a go-to resource for improving the quality of care for patients in their final days, while also supporting clinicians in navigating the emotional complexities of this type of caregiving. In summary, Nursing Care at the End of Life is an insightful and practical resource, offering crucial guidance for clinicians committed to providing empathetic and effective care to patients during one of the most important phases of life.
From history, definitions, trajectories, stages of death, hospice and palliative care , interpersonal communication nurse to patient, symptom management, bereavement, this text is very thorough and progressive. read more
From history, definitions, trajectories, stages of death, hospice and palliative care , interpersonal communication nurse to patient, symptom management, bereavement, this text is very thorough and progressive.
No issues encountered.
Totally current in time and cultural relevance for today’s healthcare.
Written clearly with current accepted terminology.
This text follows a progressive style with each section building upon the next. The topics can be used independently also.
Can be easily assigned in smaller sections or changed in order depending on the class structure.
This text is well organized with an opening introduction, the body of work, and an easily to understand closing.
The grafts and charts are relevant and easy to comprehend. They are included in most sections.
No grammatical errors noted.
The writing style includes a wide population base with some detail to further research with reference to particular cultural groups available.
Important material about medical ethics, withholding, withdrawing medical care discussed and clarified in closing content. Very relevant for healthcare practitioners. Special consideration to grief and loss and the work of Dr Elisabeth Kubler Ross.
The book is very comprehensive and provides all details a novice nurse needs to know without overcomplicating the clinical situation. read more
The book is very comprehensive and provides all details a novice nurse needs to know without overcomplicating the clinical situation.
The book is accurate and provides evidence-based interventions for nursing practice within the hospital and community settings.
This book is extremely relevant to nursing practice. It makes a great point that only 2% of nursing curriculum focuses on end of life however, the vast majority of nurses will need to know how to care for the dying patient and family.
The book is clearly written and provides clear guidance to care for patients and families at the end of life.
The book is consistent in terms of terminology and framework. The afterward provides a real-life interview of the author that addresses the great need for resiliency in nursing practice relating to death and dying. The final chapter provides resources.
I really appreciated the division of reading with "Anticipation", "In the moment", and "Afterwards". These sections make a lot of sense when you are working with dying patients. The anticipation section prepares students for the in-the-moment part which would be the most anxiety-approaching aspect of dying.
The book's organization is clear and logical.
The text was easy to navigate and broken into chapters that were placed in logical sections.
No grammatical errors were found.
The book references different spiritual and cultural beliefs but does not detail specific races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. There are no cultural insensitivities noted and the book is in no way offense.
This textbook is exceptional and the content should be integrated into the curriculum of all nursing schools. The writing is concise, meaningful, and approaches a difficult topic in a positive way. Communicating healthcare wishes in a careful manner during the dying process is explained thoroughly.
The book covers all areas of the End of LIfe that a clinician should be aware of. The information would be good for novice nurses. read more
The book covers all areas of the End of LIfe that a clinician should be aware of. The information would be good for novice nurses.
We do a Death and Dying course as an elective in the program and use the online course. Comparing the two I would say this covers information well and actually goes presents it in more detail.
Very relevant to nursing education.
Written very well.
Consistent with the resources and best practices that I could see.
The book can be divided into modules easily.
The organization of the book is sequential and makes sense.
I think it is well written and no distractions noted
None that I saw in the review process.
I did not see anything that would alert me to cultural insensitivity.
I feel this would be a good resource or even book to use within the curriculum for nursing programs
Overall, this book provided a comprehensive look at the role of nursing care in end-of-life care. Much of the content is presented in a detailed format and presented at a level that an undergraduate nursing student would understand and apply the... read more
Overall, this book provided a comprehensive look at the role of nursing care in
end-of-life care. Much of the content is presented in a detailed format and presented at a level that an undergraduate nursing student would understand and apply the content into their clinical practice. However, I would have liked to see additional information on the non-pharmacological approaches to pain and symptom management.
No errors were noted with regard to content, but it does present content from a single clinicians' point of view. The references do back-up the content.
Content is current and will stand-up to time. it is important for the reader to understand that laws could affect the approaches to care such as the use of marijuana based on state and federal laws and new approaches to pain and symptom management.
Very readable for an undergraduate nursing student. The charts presented were good but the use of tables and charts whenever possible to keep the student engaged in the topic is very important. So additional resources would have assisted in solidifying the content for the reader. The use of outcomes at the beginning each chapter and focus statements at the end of the chapter is very effective for solidifying the chapter content for the reader.
The information presented was consistent, through this probably is due to the fact that it was presented with one author's voice. However, there were no inconsistencies noted in the information presented.
The way the text is outlined, it can easily be broken up into smaller modules. This would be very effective for the instructor in dividing up content lessons. The book would totally support this approach. Example: historical approach vs. symptom management.
The information was presented in a very organized matter, bringing in an historical perspective, and moving through the important topics such as palliative care vs. hospice care, on to pain management and the emotional/spiritual aspects of care at the end-of-life. One element that would have added to the flow of the content is case presentations and/or scenarios.
There were no interface issues. The book flows well in a number of interface programs. The charts are readable, pages remain consistent with the table of contents and the reference links are accessed in new tabs thereby locking the content and allowing the readers to maintain where they were within the book.
No errors were noted. Again, the flow of the book makes it readable for an under-graduate nursing student.
Although the chapter on "Diversity in Dying" is done well, it would have been more effective if some of this content was included throughout the book such as in the chapter "Initiating Conversations about Goals of Care.
Overall, this book is effective in presenting the concept of end-of-life care. Case studies would have brought the information home to the reader. However, the last part of the book that focuses on "lessons learned" does solidify the information presented. The hope is that book will engage the reader, encouraging them to look at other resources in the care of patients at the end of their lives.
The book addresses all the major areas of end of life care. I would have liked to see more specifics about symptom relief and about non-pharmaceutical methods for addressing pain. read more
The book addresses all the major areas of end of life care. I would have liked to see more specifics about symptom relief and about non-pharmaceutical methods for addressing pain.
No errors of fact were detected. The content was presented from the perspective of the author's experience, but due to the nature of the case that is what one would expect.
The content is up to date. However, state laws regarding end of life care are rapidly evolving. This is especially true in the area of assisted suicide. The book mentions states that currently allow physician assisted euthanasia but does not acknowledge that this is an area where law and societal norms are rapidly changing.
The text is quite readable. Technical terms are explained as soon as they are introduced. The objectives for each chapter give a clear idea of what to expect, and content is appropriately summarized at the end.
There is only one author, so the style is highly consistent.
Each chapter stands on its own. Chapters could be assigned individually or used along side content from other sources.
The organization is logical and clear. Content could easily be used in order in a course focusing on end of life.
The interface is clean. Appropriate tables are used. There is a lack of diagrams or pictures, but diagrams and pictures would not necessarily be helpful.
The author uses gender inclusive pronouns but there are some inconsistencies in their use that are a little distracting.
The text is inclusive and no insensitivity was detected. However the content was quite specific to US law and customs, so it might be less useful in an international educational setting.
I was disappointed by the section on pain control. The author led with pharmaceutical interventions. This is of course what is usually done, but I would have liked to see an emphasis on non-pharmaceutical interventions. Actually little was said about non-pharmaceutical interventions, and practical suggestions along this line were not offered. Most patients do indeed need medications, but too often the non-pharmaceutical interventions are an afterthought when medications are not effective rather than leading with the non-pharmaceutical interventions and including medications as well in a comprehensive plan of care. The section could be strengthened by adding content on the physiology and psychology of pain transmission and how pain control methods work.
The chapters on emotional and spiritual distress and on communication were excellent.
The on-line book is very informative on most aspects of "end-of-life-care" (ELOC). Unfortunately, it provides minimal information regarding Advanced Directives and Healthcare Power of Attorney. These two issues are becoming more of a problem in... read more
The on-line book is very informative on most aspects of "end-of-life-care" (ELOC). Unfortunately, it provides minimal information regarding Advanced Directives and Healthcare Power of Attorney. These two issues are becoming more of a problem in the hospital setting. Patients and/or family members are asked if an Advanced Directive or Power of Attorney is available on admission.
EOLC is so important. This text is error-free. The author provided unbiased information based on the different professional journals and books cited and referenced. The publications are well-known medical and nursing journals.
The book was up-to-date when it was published and EOLC will never become obsolete. In fact, its relevance increases as our life expectancy increases. Based on how the author arranged the text, the updates would be easily implemented.
Although the text is written primarily for healthcare professionals, an educated layperson could easily understand the book.
The material presented followed a consistent understandable format. At the end of each chapter was a section titled "What you would know". This provided highlights of the chapter in a few sentences.
The modular design of the various chapters make a strong pulling point for this book. Each chapter can stand alone by itself or have the flexibility to be part of a module. You can assign a few chapters as a module to be part of their current assignment. The book can be used as reference material for an assignment.
The book is very well organized. Its starts with history of EOLC and ends with breavement.
I used the PDF version. The text was easy to read and the various charts were significant to the chapter. The charts were clean without any distortion.
No grammatical errors were noted.
The book was not insensitive or offensive. The book only provided a chart on the different cultural/religious beliefs pertaining to care of the patient after death. Many of the different cultures/religious have rituals taking care of the patient prior to death. More in-depth information needs to be provided about the different cultures/religious groups.
The text is comprehensive in its scope but only touches on many topics which would benefit from more depth, such as ancillary pain treatments and assessment tools utilized with patients. While the author is obviously knowledgeable about the topics... read more
The text is comprehensive in its scope but only touches on many topics which would benefit from more depth, such as ancillary pain treatments and assessment tools utilized with patients. While the author is obviously knowledgeable about the topics introduced, many may be unfamiliar to readers and a list of additional reading or references for those interested in pursuing more information might be helpful. It is understood that many of these topics are beyond the scope of this text, which makes this text both more readable, and slightly less comprehensive.
Overall, the text is accurate and material presented is supported with current research. Occasionally, an inaccuracy occurs, such as a statement on page 69 that seems to indicate that physical tolerance of a medication is analogous to withdrawal, but this seems to be the result of an editing error more than one of inaccurate facts.
The content is up-to-date and relevant, and is unlikely to become obsolete quickly as it does not serve primarily as a scientific text. Although some statistics are included, they are not terribly important in terms of bolstering any textual arguments.
The text is clear and accessible, with very little in the way of professional jargon. The author generally makes her point and provides sufficient anecdotal or research support for it. In some cases, the writing style is almost too informal, and weaves back and forth between present and future perfect progressive tense, or between addressing the reader directly as "you" and more formal technical-style writing.
The text is generally internally consistent. Those minor inconsistencies that exist (e.g. a suggestion that patients be included in meals and encouraged to eat their favorite foods, vs. a later suggestion that patients be given bland, cool foods to eat) are easily sorted out by individuals with a healthcare background, and could be readily explained by a knowledgeable instructor. The text is generally informal and written to relate the author's extensive personal experience with the dying and their families, and reads as a personal communique with some current evidence-based information and medical background added in as support. If intended for that use, the book would serve well; if intended to provide a thorough presentation of the pharmacologic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, etc. framework for death and dying, there is insufficient breadth and depth present.
This text would lend itself easily to being divided into easily read and digested units for a course. Although perhaps not entirely comprehensive, it would serve as a good jumping-off point for material that permitted students to self-assess their own biases related to death and dying, palliative care, and grief.
This text is well-organized, beginning with a historical (if purely Westernized) view of end-of-life care and ending with a chapter on bereavement, and includes chapters that cover illness trajectories, frameworks of death and dying, palliative and hospice care, and an in-depth section related to the relationship, both professional and personal, that exists between the nursing caregiver and the dying patient.
I elected to review the pdf version of the text, which downloaded without difficulty, was easy to navigate, presented with no interface errors, and with which I was able to use the search tool.
Although the text does not contain notable, consistent grammatical errors, it is written in the style of a thesis paper, and at a relatively basic reading level. Some stylistic elements may grate on the college-level reader, such as references to inanimate systems that "grow and develop", "less" and "fewer" being used interchangeably, references that are unclear (e.g. "those diseases"), and other word and phrase choices that would be well-served by some revision. Additionally, the author tends to move freely among tenses within any given paragraph, which slows reading and comprehension. Clunky sentences, such as, "While there are certain things that are not warranted in a nurse's role to talk about, such as delivering bad news or a terminal prognosis, there are plenty of other informative things that can be discussed with the patient.", may cause the reader to pause unnecessarily. The occasional missing apostrophe, misused term, and redundancy ("also", "as well", "in addition" - more than one present in one sentence) would also have been eliminated by a good editor. Finally, as a note regarding writing style, moving from an informal manner similar to direct discussion with the reader ("So now you have a basic understanding about illness trajectory") to a formal style, adds an additional obstacle to making this text easy to read.
Although the text includes a chapter on "Diversity in Dying: Death across Cultures", it only serves to outline traditional American death and burial traditions and to provide a table of abbreviated beliefs from different religious traditions. The text does urge individuals working with patients and families from different cultures to be intentional about learning more about their values and traditions.
This book is an easy read, and while it has some stylistic issues, these are minor. It does a very good job of presenting a realistic personal perspective, from an experienced nurse, of the many facets included in the work (and calling) of providing care to patients and families during a difficulty period in their lives.
This text does a respectable job of including all the key elements for one's understanding of end of life care (EOLC) issues. Some information on the basics of the legal side of EOLC would be helpful. Part of the discussion surrounding EOLC is... read more
This text does a respectable job of including all the key elements for one's understanding of end of life care (EOLC) issues. Some information on the basics of the legal side of EOLC would be helpful. Part of the discussion surrounding EOLC is to assist the patient in understanding the various components of written documentation of their wishes, such as advanced directives and power of attorney.
I did not notice any errors in the book, but this is a topic where the statistics supporting the information can easily change over the course of a couple years, so one needs to take into account he authoring year.
Relevance is one of the book's strengths. It is a fairly easy read which should increase the likelihood that the student or healthcare professional will read the entire book. future updates seem quite manageable.
The author did a great job of writing for a broad audience. It is not overly "medical" and presents the information in such a a manner that most lay individuals could comprehend the book's material.
The consistency throughout the book is one of the main reasons that a lay individual could easily absorb the content of this book.
Modularity is another strength of this book. Not only could an instructor assign the various chapters to coincide with a student's progressive matriculation through a program, but each section can stand on it's own and is not dependent on previous content. This lends nicely for faculty that may only want to emphasize certain sections of the book.
I believe the organization of this book is excellent, with one exception. In the last section, "Afterword Evaluation of Self: Lessons Learned", the first objective is "Evaluate one's own attitudes and beliefs about death and dying". The author goes on to focus mostly on caregivers that work in hospice, which leaves a gap for many other healthcare professionals, such as those that work in ICU's and ER's. Additionally, I think devoting some time to processing one's own feelings about dying could be beneficial in the beginning of the book.
There are many tables and charts that contribute significantly to the readers understanding of the content, such as the cultural differences (pg. 113-114).
No grammatical errors were noted.
Lack of perceived cultural sensitivity in healthcare is one reason many patients do not seek care, especially in the end of life stage. This book does an excellent job of bringing that to the forefront and arming the reader with knowledge and examples to feel confident in caring for a variety of patients who culture may differ from their own.
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to incorporating the content in my own classes.
There is no index at the end of the work. There is a list of websites that can be used as resources for further reading. The topic is covered logically and groups the subtopic by when these topics occur in the life and death experience. read more
There is no index at the end of the work. There is a list of websites that can be used as resources for further reading.
The topic is covered logically and groups the subtopic by when these topics occur in the life and death experience.
It is accurate and evidence based. Pain management and ethics are objectively discussed. Pain management is an area of nursing that tends to bring out opinions more than evidence to guide care. This warns against that.
This is relevant to nursing as it expands the topics:
1.fear of death
2.fear of pain in dying
3.accurate information on death process (physiological processes)
4.accurate information on pain medications
5.grief and hope
6.spiritual distress
7.application of ethical principles as related to death and dying
Accepted and appropriate terms are used. Written in standard American English.
Yes.
The educator could easily ask the student to read a section to expand upon what is being taught in class.
It flows sequentially using a timeline or several timelines to capture the death and dying process.
Being an online book requires a different sort of navigation. It may require conversion to a format where the student can search out specific parts. I was unable to sign in. I downloaded a PDF. Perhaps, the other format had this feature.
If grammatical errors occur, they did not hamper my understanding of the content.
It is based on the American death and dying experience. It has a section on cultural care. It is brief and not the most comprehensive resource on that, however, it would not lead the nurse astray if this is the only source of cultural information. It has brief examples of religious and ethnic variations in beliefs and customs.
If I were teaching health and illness, it would be an adjunct source on pain medications and dying.
As a mental health instructor, I could pick out different sections to supplement and expand topics. The spiritual distress section would be useful. This resource is good to look at the family dynamics of death and dying. I do not have a nursing book in the curriculum that this could 100% replace. The citations after each chapter alone would be a goldmine for students trying to learn more about the topic.
The book addresses all areas of end-of-life care, starting with history, frameworks, and models of care. The middle section sufficiently covers the symptoms and corresponding interventions that a hospice nurse would most commonly encounter in the... read more
The book addresses all areas of end-of-life care, starting with history, frameworks, and models of care. The middle section sufficiently covers the symptoms and corresponding interventions that a hospice nurse would most commonly encounter in the illness trajectory. Although there is not an index or glossary, the table of contents is clear enough to quickly identify and find topics of particular interest.
The content is accurate and reflects current knowledge and science around end-of-life care.
The content is up-to-date and utilizes reputable sources throughout. A resource list at the end of the text gives the reader links to online sources which are not likely to change, such as the American Geriatrics Society and the American Medical Association, Institute of Medicine, etc.
The text is refreshing to read. It challenges the reader with expanding knowledge and points of critical discussion and handles a weighty topic in a way that is easy to think about and digest. The narrative is clear and easy to understand yet obviously scholarly and well supported by the current research and literature in end of life care.
The text is clear and consistent with its terminology and approach.
What really stands out is the large-font chapter titles, a poignant quote at the beginning of chapters to introduce the reader to the topic, and the learning objectives clearly indicated in a black and white box. The "What You Should Know" key points are easily identified at the end of each chapter by a green box, highlighting the most important take-aways from each chapter. References follow each chapter.
Each chapter begins with large-font chapter titles and a poignant quote at the beginning of chapters to introduce the reader to the topic. The learning objectives are clearly indicated in a black and white box. The "What You Should Know" key points are easily identified at the end of each chapter by a green box, highlighting the most important take-aways from each chapter. Each chapter is organized in the same way, so the reader knows what to expect while progressing through the text.
The interface is excellent. The no-frills approach in a PDF allows easy download and storage onto multiple device. I enjoyed reading the book on my iPhone. The reader won't find complicated graphics, images, or interactive activities in the text. Instead, Dr. Lowey opted for a simple, streamlined approach that I found aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate between chapters. Charts and graphics are carefully selected and strategically placed wtih full explanations.
No grammatical or formatting errors were noted. The text is easy to read yet employs professional language and terminology.
The book approaches the subject of end of life care with sensitivity, knowing that many nurses are not comfortable with the topic or their ability to provice sufficient care. Dr. Lowey assures readers of all experience levels that the nursing hesitancy and limited of knowledge in end of life care is widespread. She empowers the reader that our presence and voice is our greatest and most effective intervention during end of life care. A specific chapter addresses the diversity and death practices across cultures and summarizes the religious beliefs for each of the world's major religions. No book or chapter could possibily comprehensively consider all cultural beliefs around death, dying, and funerals, but Dr. Lowey gives us a good starting point.
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is a real gem for nursing students, experienced clinicians, and those new to hospice care. Having such an outstanding resource in the Open Textbook Library is a gift to the nursing profession, and to our patients. The text gives a practical, relevant, well-written, and comprehensive resource to draw upon when caring for patients in the palliation/hospice trajectory. The very best chapter is the last one in which Dr. Lowey reflects on what it's like to be a hospice nurse, how she copes with her own sadness when patients die, and other common questions that hospice nurses are often asks. If a nurse is thinking about becoming a hospice nurse and reading this book to get information, the last chapter will clearly help guide the decision. Several chapters could stand alone as reading assignments in other courses such as medical-surgical nursing or psychiatric care, or a course addressing cultural aspects of care. Whether used in its entirety, in part, as required or optional, this text is a must have in every nursing education program. I definitely plan to use this text in my classes for both required and optional reading assignments. Great job and outstanding work, Dr. Lowey!
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is a comprehensive book about caring for patients and families at the end of life. All areas and ideas related to nursing care at the end of life are included. A Table of Contents... read more
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is a comprehensive book about caring for patients and families at the end of life. All areas and ideas related to nursing care at the end of life are included. A Table of Contents is included. An Index and Glossary are not included in this textbook.
The textbook includes accurate information about end of life care that is supported with evidence from the literature. The content is free of errors and unbiased
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is relevant information as information about End-of-Life case is important for health care professionals to know and apply when caring for patients and their families at end-of-life. The content will not be quickly outdated, which is a major concern in nursing topics.
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is clear and easy to read. The book includes professional vocabulary, but defines the terms used.
Consistent terms and frameworks are used throughout the book.
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is presented in smaller reading sections with headings and subheadings to divide up the chunks of content. The book is not overly self-referential. Dr. Lowey cites her work in this area, but it is not overdone.
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is well organized and flows well. There are 12 chapters in the text. Each chapter includes learning objectives, content, a “What You Should Know” section, and references. The major sub-topics for end of life care are included. And Afterword and End of Life Care Resources section is included. The tables and figures are helpful and point out the key ideas.
When I read the book in the online format, the font changed to difficult to read fonts and also changed to italic for some chapters. I found this difficult to read. The figures and tables were not impacted. I recommend using the PDF format of the book for this reason as it was consistent and easier to read. This may have been some odd technical aberration, but did happen to me at several different checks on different days. However, I mention in case you have similar issues so you can try the PDF as another option. Being able to download the PDF is an awesome plus!
The book is free of grammar and spelling errors.
This book includes a chapter about Diversity in Dying. The chapter outlines various religious beliefs and practices related to death and dying. Nurses are told to become familiar with the death and dying practices of the family. This is appropriate because families will have their own cultural practices that may or may not be used by everyone of their culture or religious affiliation.
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know is a well written book with outstanding content and organization. Thanks to Dr. Lowey for this open educational resource!
This book is very comprehensive and the author's scaffolding of foundational to more complex concepts yields a very thorough and yet concise understanding of the content. read more
This book is very comprehensive and the author's scaffolding of foundational to more complex concepts yields a very thorough and yet concise understanding of the content.
This book contains very well researched, current, and unbiased information, allowing the reader to glean an understanding of the various theories of death and dying and the myriad of approaches to the care of the dying patient.
The content of this text is current, relevant, and most essential in the training of nursing students and is written in such a manner as to not require frequent updates. The content is applicable to all facets of nursing as death and dying are encountered in any given specialty within the nursing profession. This text serves to fill in the gaps of coverage of death and dying in many nursing programs and would also be of benefit to the practicing nurse who desires to pursue additional independent learning opportunities.
The text is written in a manner consistent with educational resources aimed at the target population of nursing students, however, even one not familiar with nursing jargon/technical terminology would benefit from reading and be able to understand the overall intent of the text.
This text is divided into very concise chapters and utilizes a consistent framework throughout, which allows the reader to quickly identify the author's given style of writing, yielding an ease of comprehension and expeditious sense of familiarity and understanding.
This text is written in a format of very concise, modular sections which could easily be dissected and read in part, but also as a whole. The text references multiple sources of a wide range of expertise, offering the reader many opportunities to explore a particular topic of interest in greater depth.
The topics are presented in a clear, logical, and systematic manner, allowing the reader to either review or learn afresh the foundational principles and then move deeper into the more complex and finely tuned content.
This text is free of any significant interface issues, and no distortions of content, images, or charts is noted. The text was downloaded without difficulty and the formatting is clear, consistent, and reader-friendly.
The text contains no grammatical errors.
This text is culturally sensitive and addresses the unique differences in terms of cultural or religious views of death and dying while avoiding generalizations. The text seeks to educate the reader on the wide range of patient, family, and health care professional responses to death and dying while also avoiding generalization. This facet allows the reader to glean insights without forming potentially inappropriate or inaccurate presuppositions when faced with other cultures or religions in practice.
This book is an invaluable resource to all nursing students and practicing nurses as it very concisely articulates the unique complexities encountered in the care of the dying patient and the dying patient's family. This book accurately asserts that the content explored in this text is often covered minimally in the traditional nursing curriculum, leaving many nurses feeling inadequate, unprepared, and less than confident when caring for the dying patient in practice. This book more than adequately fills the void and I will be utilizing this resource in the future. Thank you for compiling and sharing this information.
The text is comprehensive and appropriately provides a basic understanding of terms of a difficult topic for care givers. read more
The text is comprehensive and appropriately provides a basic understanding of terms of a difficult topic for care givers.
The book's content is accurate and supported appropriately with relevant references.
Even though some of the material seemed old, it is the gold standard. The content is up to date, and somewhat ageless. Medications for pain may change, however, learning how to manage palliative care clients remains difficult for many.
There text is not written with techinical terminology such as medical procedures, however, to a nonmedical person, there might be some terminology they are unfamiliar with.
The text is consistent in terminology and framework throughout the text. For example each chapter begins with learning objectives.
The text is easily divided into smaller section that are managable for assignments.
The text is organized and presented in a logical and clear fashion.
The text is free of significant interface issues. There were not any navigation or chart distortion issues on computer or phone display access.
The text was written without any noticeable grammatical errors. It was written at a level that a nurse could share the text with a family member and they could understand the information.
The text touches on a cultural diversity and end-of-life care in a very non-offensive way.
This text is a great addition to any course that discusses end of life. It touches on hospice and palliative care, as well as pain control when dying, all in one text. Many texts are lacking this combination.
Health Care is - by definition - a profession that is focused on preventing the end of life. This text aims to guide health care providers through the inevitable process that all patients will experience, divided into stages of care: Anticipation,... read more
Health Care is - by definition - a profession that is focused on preventing the end of life. This text aims to guide health care providers through the inevitable process that all patients will experience, divided into stages of care: Anticipation, In The Moment, Afterwards.
Content is presented in as unbiased a manner as is possible with such a high-emotion subject.
Content is very timely and up to date. There are some references that are older (greater than 10 years), but they are included in such a way that the age of the study does not detract from the predominant thesis in each chapter.
Updating the work to include the latest trends in best clinical practices should not be difficult, as the compartmentalization of the information - while building on previous learning - is not so interwoven as to substantially detract from the flow of the narrative.
Written in such a way as to be accessible to a layperson not clinically trained, but also not too basic for the healthcare provider, the text is clear, concise, and accessible to the reader. When complex clinical information is presented, it is not dumped on the reader; rather there is a "ramp up" feel to the content.
There is good consistency in the book, as well as mercifully few "callback" references to earlier chapters.
The three main content areas (Units?) work well to guide the clinician through the process of learning about the end of life process. Within each of these units, however, the individual chapters - upon first reading - seem to require the healthcare provider to take each chapter in order. Once read and when the content is familiar, however, the chapters are useful as stand-alone references.
Highest marks for the organization and flow of the book. Leading the clinician through the death and dying process in a chronological "presentation of symptoms" order makes the text exceptionally well suited for this subject. Again, once the healthcare provider is familiar with the text, then accessing specific information in non-sequential chapters is not only possible, but easy.
This reviewer experienced no problems with the format of the text.
No errors in grammar, punctuation, or sentence structure/mechanics.
No text can be all things to all people. This text manages to hit the "middle of the bell-shaped curve" in that it is applicable to most people under most circumstances, most of the time. The Ethics chapter will be the most "controversial," as Ethics is - by definition - a morality based, Right-And-Wrong subject. Further, there is no overtly judgmental language when dealing with controversial topics (withdrawing/withholding care, assisted dying, etc.). Being from Oregon, I would have personally liked to see more than one paragraph on assisted suicide, but the author's treatment of the subject is satsifactory.
The layout of each chapter is especially useful. Starting with learning objectives bullet points, the author guides the reader through the content, then wraps up each chapter with three main bullet point "Things You Should Know." The text lends itself to note taking and information retention. Overall, a good text that will be useful to clinicians working with end of life patients, as well as a helpful adjunct for those in the healthcare realm (long term care, acute care, ethics committee, etc.) to supplement their understanding of the issues.
This book is very comprehensive in its coverage of the topics of nursing at the end of life. And although the book does not include a separate index or glossary, it does provide plenty of terms and definitions within the text in a thoughtful and... read more
This book is very comprehensive in its coverage of the topics of nursing at the end of life. And although the book does not include a separate index or glossary, it does provide plenty of terms and definitions within the text in a thoughtful and organized manner. The website resources at the end is comprehensive.
I found the accuracy of this book to be excellent. With the exception of one small error of two words joined together, I found no other errors. And the inclusion of various perspectives provides an unbiased view of nursing in this context.
The relevance to today's nursing field and hospice care is extremely up-to-date. Having experienced my mother's and father's hospice care at different times within the last six years, I found the advice and information affirming and relevent. Obsolescence is easily avoided with supplementing information when it is necessary. The personal experiences and examples are timeless.
The terms were clearly defined and the examples provided the helpful context. The prose was very accessible and easy to follow and enjoyable to read without being too wordy or technical. For example, p. 60 clearly gives a thorough description of the classifications of pain and differentiating between the mechanisms and temporal patterns.
Each chapter is nicely framed, beginning with the objectives and moving to an introduction and the main ideas, then finishing with "what you should know." This framework provided an easy-to-follow pattern.
The book's modularity is wonderful. The three main parts I. Anticipation II. In The Moment and III. Afterwards provides structure of the individual chapters and their focus. This allows instructors to easily assign readings in individual sections. And the subheadings within the chapters are very useful.
The organization of the book showed topics divided into a simple sequence related to the care of the patient. The three major sections clearly follow the sequence related to the care of the patient. The chapters within the sections are logically divided and clearly presented. The subheadings within the chapters also makes it easy to find individual topics. And even though this book may target nurses, it is organized in a useful fashion for the patient and family member as well.
The figures and tables are nicely formatted and easy-to-read. The Models of Care (p. 39) figures were a bit confusing at first but the explanation in the text following the figures was provided and made it more clear. The tables provided easy-to-reference guides for such areas of questions to ask the patient as well as religious beliefs about death and dying.
I found no grammar errors and the language used corresponded to the nursing field but also provided concrete examples for the lay person.
The book mentioned consideration of different groups of people with its definition of 'diversity' on p. 109. It also provided different religious perspectives of death and dying in the chapter on Diversity and Dying. But more importantly the language and style of the book continually used phrasing of 'inclusiveness' and repeatedly cautioned the nurse to be aware of the care and communication with the patient and family so as not to offend or exclude anyone based on different cultural or ethnic backgrounds.
This book is a valuable resource for anyone, not just a nurse or caregiver, patient or family member of a patient. Its comprehensiveness and validity can be summed up with Susan Lowey's reminder about the importance of care a dying patient receives and how it may not be remembered by the nurse, but it will surely be remembered by the patient's family (p.94).
Table of Contents
Part I. Anticipation
- 1. A Historical Overview of End-of-Life Care
- 2. Types and Variability within Illness Trajectories
- 3. Conceptual Frameworks Guiding Death & Dying
- 4. Models of Organized End-of-Life Care: Palliative Care vs. Hospice
- 5. Initiating Conversations about Goals of Care
Part II. In the Moment
- 6. Management of Pain and Physical Symptoms
- 7. Management of Emotional and Spiritual Distress
- 8. Ethical Concerns in End-of-Life Care
- 9. Care at the Time of Death
- 10. Nurse–Patient–Family Communication
Part III. Afterwards
- 11. Diversity in Dying: Death across Cultures
- 12. Grief and Bereavement
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know should be an essential component of basic educational preparation for the professional registered nurse student. Recent studies show that only one in four nurses feel confident in caring for dying patients and their families and less than 2% of overall content in nursing textbooks is related to end-of-life care, despite the tremendous growth in palliative and end-of-life care programs across the country. The purpose of this textbook is to provide an indepth look at death and dying in this country, including the vital role of the nurse in assisting patients and families along the journey towards the end of life. There is an emphasis throughout the book on the simple, yet understated value of effective interpersonal communication between the patient and clinician. The text provides a basic foundation of understanding death and dying, including a brief historical examination of some main conceptual models associated with how patients cope with impending loss. An overview of illness trajectories and models of care, such as hospice and palliative care are discussed. Lastly, the latest evidence-based approaches for pain and symptom management, ethical concerns, cultural considerations, care at the time of death, and grief/bereavement are examined. The goal of this text is to foster the necessary skills for nurses to provide compassionate care to individuals who are nearing the end of life and their families. Every chapter contains a “What You Should Know” section which highlights and reinforces foundational concepts.
About the Contributors
Author
Dr. Susan Lowey works with both juniors and seniors in the traditional Nursing program, teaching Community Health Nursing and Nursing Research at SUNY, Brockport. She earned her PhD in Health Practice Research from the University of Rochester and was awarded a Claire M. Fagin Fellowship from the Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Program for her post-doctoral work. Improving care at the end of life, with a particular focus on symptom management, is the focus of Dr. Lowey’s research. The majority of her clinical practice has been as a community health hospice nurse providing care for dying patients and their loved ones.
Dr. Lowey holds national certification as a board certified hospice and palliative care nurse (CHPN) through the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses. In addition, she is a certified ELNEC (End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium) trainer (Core and Geriatric). She is also an appointed member of the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses Registered Nurse Examination Development Committee and holds another appointment as the ESPO Representative on the Membership Executive Committee through the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Lowey also serves as one of the faculty representatives for Omicron Beta, Brockport’s Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.